


First to the Keeper

by InArlathan



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 09:30:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21013556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InArlathan/pseuds/InArlathan
Summary: For most of her life, Lavellan was set to bring honor to her clan. As First to Deshanna, she spends her time practicing new spells in the hope that, one day, she’ll be powerful enough to become the next keeper. But as word of the conclave in Haven reaches the Lavellan clan, her life takes a very different turn.





	First to the Keeper

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to explore the past of my elven mage Inquisitor, Alis Lavellan, and her time with the Dalish clan. Still, I tried to write the story in a way so that you might headcanon your own Lavellan in there. I hope you enjoy it! <3

They had set up camp in a secluded valley near Ansburg three days ago. The surrounding hills were covered in trees softly swaying in the wind, with leaves that glittered in the yellow afternoon sun. They made her think about how quickly summer had past once again.

In these past couple of years, it seemed like the world had been spinning much faster, with each season going by in rush. Even the Dalish felt it while traveling the vast open country. Ever since the war between the mages and the templars had begun to rage across Thedas, people were trying to preserve time. Some wishing to go back to the old days, other wanting the world to move forward.

Where it up to her, she would love to see changes in the world, not just for her people, but for everyone. If she were to decide the future of Thedas, she would want to show them all the wonders of magic and the Fade. She wanted to take away their fears and make life worth living again. Sadly, it wasn’t up to her to decide anyone’s fate but her own. And she, too, felt like she was running out of time.

Concentrating of the crackling energy of the Fade, Lavellan closed her eyes and sucked in a breath.

It has not been long since she mastered _One With Nature_, a powerful spell that was usually restricted to the keeper. Yet, Deshanna had let her train to master the spell, trusting in Lavellan’s power as well as her sense of responsibility. “You know very well how dangerous the Fade is”, Deshanna once said to her. “That is why I chose you as my First. If anyone in this clan is to master the magic and keep us safe, it is you.”

She remembered the burst of pride she had felt that day. Of course, Deshanna had never kept it secret how she felt about Lavellan. Still, it humbled her that the old keeper deemed her worthy of following in her footsteps. And she was determined to live up to the task.

After all, it was Deshanna who had spoken on her behalf when she joined the clan at the age of twelve. She owed her life to the keeper and she would be forever grateful for that.

Lavellan readied herself, feeling the movement of the earth beneath her feet. The trees around her seemed to whisper to her in a language that dated back to the times of ancient Arlathan. With all her heart, she tried to listen, tried to make sense of their words.

_I can hear you_, she thought. _I am listening._

But would they listen, too? Would they obey her command?

She was, undoubtedly, the most powerful mage within a hundred-mile radius. That was one of the many reasons why the humans in the area wouldn’t dare to attack the clan. And yet she had only mastered one of the mighty keeper spells. It had taken years and years of practice. How much longer, before she would be ready to truly become Deshanna’s successor?

Then she cast her spell. First, she created the magical shield of _One With Nature_ and felt the energy immobilize her body. Unable to move, she concentrated on the forces of nature around her and called out to the trees. In her mind, she saw the roots coming forth from the earth, surrounding her, protecting her, while she drew energy from the Fade.

_Come on_, she thought and felt sweat gathering on her forehead.

And then the trees responded. The earth cracked open on her left side and a long dark root rose from beneath. The root coiled up like a snake and lashed out.

She cried out in pain.

The root had struck like a whip, leaving a bloody trail on the back of her right hand. Warm blood gushed from the wound and down her forearm.

_Damned Thornblades_, she thought and let go of the Fade. The magical energy slipped away from her instantly. The root slipped back to the earth quickly after and then she could move again. She cast a simple healing spell to close the wound, but it would take the aid of a more proficient healer to mend her flesh.

Lavellan sighed and leaned onto her staff. She had tried to make this spell work for hours and her strength was all but drained. It would be long before she had to head back to camp and rest.

_Just one more time,_ she told herself, well aware that this would not be just “one more time”. A good thing, she had a few vials of lyrium potion to lend her strength.

But it never had the chance to make another attempt at the _Thornblades_ spell. Before she could raise her staff and dive back into the Fade, a hunter of her clan made his way through the woods towards her.

His name was Vhe’ral and he was a couple of years younger than Lavellan. Like her, he wore June’s blood writing, though in a different variation that was more popular among the hunters. But unlike the archers of the clan, Vhe’ral possessed an undeniable talent with magic. One day, with enough training, he might even become the keeper’s Second. Lavellan was looking forward to it.

“Deshanna wants to see you,” he said as he approached.

“Straight to the point, hm?,” she asked and a soft smile tugged at her lips. “Much appreciated.”

Vhe’ral tilted his head slightly and seize her up and down. For a moment, it seemed like he wanted to reply something clever, but then changed his mind. “Seems like Deshanna has news about the shemlen and their idiotic war,” he said at last.

Lavellan sighed. “Again?”

“They sure are the quick ones.”

She breathed another sigh. “Alright, let’s go back then,” she said and began walking towards him. Vhe’ral waited until she had reached his position than fell into step beside her as they followed the path back to the valley where the Dalish had set up camp.

“Will you tell me more about it later?” he asked after a while. She could almost taste his eagerness.

“Absolutely not.”

“But why?” He blinked, bewildered. “The shemlen might attack at any minute. Should the hunters know if there is any danger for the clan?”

“If the keeper wants to speak to me in private and not share her news with the rest of the clan, that is her decision entirely. As her First, I will not blurt out her secrets on my own accord.”

Vhe’ral didn’t look happy, not at all, but he let the issue slide and felt into step beside her once more.

“As for the shemlen,” she said. “We kept good relations with them for the last twenty years. Besides, they are fighting a war amongst themselves and won’t be concerning themselves with a small Dalish clan on the outskirts of the Free Marches at the moment. I don’t think we are in immediate danger for them.”

“If you say so,” he grumbled.

The Lavellan clan had never been large. It’s camp consisted of ten aravels grouped in a semicircle around a large fireplace. The wind caught in red sails of the caravans and, in the distance, she could hear the soft sound of the halla.

Keeper Deshanna’s aravel was by far the largest and stood a bit apart from the the rest. Three youngsters sat on the steps that let up to the caravan, lost in stories and child’s play. Lavellan watched them, then turned to Vhe’ral.

“Thank you,” she said decidedly. “See you later.”

Vhe’ral looked disappointed, but he didn’t reply. Instead he turned to the children and joined them in their game, make them laugh out loud as he did so.

Lavellan climbed the stairs to Deshanna’s aravel and enter. Inside, the caravan looked just like always. The floor was all but covered in seat cushions. The only exception was Deshanna’s workbench that took up most of back of the caravan. A variety of glasses, vials and boxes with ingredients were lined up an a board above the workbench, while books and papers lay scattered across on the floor.

As she entered, the keeper corked a small bottle and set it aside. Then she turned to Lavellan.

“Practicing the Thornblades again?” she asked in a tone that made it all too clear that she already knew the answer. The keeper’s gaze flicked to the cut on Lavellan’s hand. “You should let me look at that.”

Though Lavellan knew a little bit of healing magic herself, she was glad for Deshanna’s help. Her mentor was a skilled mage and caretaker and was able to cure wounds in no time.

She leaned her staff against the wall of the aravel and came over the Deshanna. Without a word, the keeper took her hand and let her own hover right about the wound. Lavellan felt a soft tingle as Deshanna began to cast her spell and made the magic mend the cut.

“You should be more careful with the Thornblades,” Deshanna said. “They are not easy to master, especially for those who lack in concentration.

Lavellan felt her cheeks blush. The keeper rarely scolded her for her training.

“_May the Dread Wolf take them!,”_ she spat in the old elven language to cover the pang of shame she felt. “I swear I will crack this spell and make it my own.”

“For someone who has no interest in learning our lore, you are very quick to envoke the name of the Dread Wolf”, Deshanna said with a smile.

“The Hahren know enough about our history”, Lavellan replied. “I am more interested in shaping the future.”

“And what future would that be?”

Lavellan stopped dead in her tracks. Deshanna’s question had caught her off guard. She just knew she needed to do something. Something that made a different, for herself and her people.

“A better one,” is all she said.

“Well,” Deshanna mused. “Who doesn’t hope for a better future? But you should not let your eagerness cloud your judgement, _da’len_. Rash actions have created far more problems than they’ve solved.”

Lavellan sighed. “I know”, she admitted. “I just…”

“Don’t be glum,” the old keeper said. “The state of the world is bad enough as it is.”

That reminded her of why she was here. “Vhe’ral said you had news about the war between the mages and the templars?”

Deshanna nodded, then gestured towards the pillows spread across the floor of their aravel. “Sit down and I will tell you.”

And so she sat, cross-legged, and waited for the keeper to share their secrets.

The older elf groaned as she settled on one of other cushions and for a moment, Lavellan could truly see the toll the ages had taken on the old the keeper. _Time passes too quickly_, she though.

Deshanna straightened herself. “I’ve met with one of the human traders of Wycome this morning,” she told Lavellan. “He had interesting news concerning the war. It seems like Divine Justinia has finally decided to do something about the crisis and called for a conclave. She wants the mages and templars to gather in Haven, two months from now.”

Lavellan tilted her head. “Haven? Never heard of it before.”

“It’s located in the Frostback Mountains,” Deshanna told her. “Long ago, the humans have erected a temple there. Obviously, the Divine wants to call on their faith in the Maker in order to keep the peace.”

“The Frostback Mountains? That’s a long way from here.”

“It is.”

“So,” Lavellan said slowly. “What is the purpose of this conclave?”

“It would seem like the Divine wants to mediate between the mages and the templars to find a peaceful solution to their war. And to bring both parties back into the fold, I presume.”

“But what does this have to do with us?” Lavellan asked. “We have no bonds with the Circles or the Chantry. Why should we care about this conclave?”

“Because,” Deshanna said sternly, “whatever the humans decide in this conclave will affect Thedas. _All of Thedas._ Just think about it: They might declare it illegal to be a mage outside of one of their Circles. They might even decide to hunt down all apostates for good. And if they do, nothing will stop them from wiping us out – you, me or any other Dalish mage included. They might even find a reason to slaughter our people once and for all.”

“I… never thought about it that way,” Lavellan said slowly.

“The consequences of this conclave could be devastating,” Deshanna said. “The Dalish might be in grave danger and I will not wait for the humans to strike first.”

“So what do you want to do about it?” Lavellan asked. “It’s not like we have the power to call off the conclave.”

Deshanna shook her head. “No, that is right. But I’ll do what is necessary to protect our people.” The keeper sucked in a sharp breath. “I want one of us to be there, in Haven, when the conclave begins. I want to know what the humans are up to.”

Suddenly, Lavellan felt very cold and she felt the tiny hairs on her arms rise. Deshanna’s words carried so much weight, so much worry, it made her heart ache.

“I would go myself, but as the keeper, I can hardly abandon the clan,” Deshanna continued and tried her best to present a cheerful smile. Yet, the sadness in her voice betrayed her. “Besides, I am too old for a long journey such as this.”

The keeper gave Lavellan a long look. And then she knew what Deshanna wanted to ask of her. _I want you to go in my stead_, she could hear her say. _For you are the only one I can trust._

And she knew she had to. It was _Halam’shivanas_, the sweet sacrifice of duty. She would never forgive herself if she turned down Deshanna’s request. What kind of First would she be, if she did? It would feel like she’d betrayed the keeper’s trust.

“You don’t have to ask,” she said. “I will go to Haven, if only to keep the clan safe.”

Deshanna smiled and her eyes gleamed with gratitude. “I knew I could count on you, _da’len.”_

Lavellan tried to smile, although she did not feel like it. Something inside her resented the idea of leaving the clan behind, even If she had never felt much of a connecting with its members. This life was the only life she knew and she had the faint feeling that if she deviated from the path she had set for herself, fate might turn against her.

None of this, she said out loud. She’d always kept her worries close to her heart. But in that very moment, she wish she had someone she could confide in. Someone who was not depending on her help or her protection. Someone she loved.

She shook her head and took in a long breath. There was no sense in worrying. Deshanna had given her a task and she would do everything she could to fulfill it.

“What will you tell the others?” Lavellan asked, gesturing towards the camp outside Deshanna’s aravel.

“I will tell them I send you on an important mission,” the keeper replied. “Then I will call on them to respect my authority and ask them to keep their questions to themselves. That should keep them quiet for a few moons.”

The thought made Lavellan smile against her will. Deshanna did have the respect of the clan, but as her first, she very much doubted that the hunters would not pester the keeper with their questions.

“I should be preparing then”, she said and rose from her seat cushion. “It is a long journey to the South and there are many things to be taken care of before I leave.”

“That is right”, Deshanna answered and stood. “I’ve made new potions you might find useful. I will have one of the youngsters bring them to your aravel.”

Lavellan nodded and said her goodbyes. When she stepped out of the caravan, she found the entire clan gathered by the camp fire. They were roasting rabbits for dinner and engaged in frivolous conversation. Yet, she noticed the side glazes and the hushed whispers as she went over to her own aravel.

She had only begun packing, when a young girl appeared in her doorstep. “The keeper told me to bring these,” she said, looking down on the collection of bottles and vials she carried in her arms.

“Oh yes, thank you.” Lavellan rushed to take the potions from her. “Would you send Beleas to me, please? I some more things from him.”

The girl blinked, curious. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Kind of,” Lavellan said, keeping the matter as vaguely as possible, and put the potions in a leather pouch. “Now, off with you.”

Luckily, the girl didn’t ask for any details, but turned on her heels to fetch Beleas. She only had the time to store some of her undergarments in her travel bag, before the man came to her aravel.

“How my assist you, _da’len_?”

She described the goods she needed from the clan’s supplies for her journey. “Deshanna’s orders”, she added before the elf could protest.

“I’ll do as the keeper commands, then,” Beleas replied, his lips twisted in a way, as if he’d been forced to eat raw lemons. He was a good man, Lavellan knew that, but he could be a real stickler when it came to handing out provisions from the clan’s hard-won supplies.

Yet, Beleas and two of his companions brought her enough food that would sustain her for the first week of her journey, a waterproof coat to protect her from the rain and a warm cloak to keep her warm in the snowy mountains. They also gave her different sets of clothing that would allow her to walk unnoticed among the humans and she tucked it all into her travel bag.

Night had fallen, when she was finally read to leave. Most of the clan had retreated to their aravels or lay sleeping in bedrolls around the camp fire. Without disturbing them, Lavellan slipped out of her caravan and shouldered her travel bag. Part of her was glad that everyone was asleep. Seeing their faces and asking her about her journey would have made it so much harder to leave.

Deshanna waited for her outside the camp where a small trail lead into the surrounding woods. “Don’t you want to take one of the halla?”

Lavellan shook her head. “That would only attract attention from the humans,” she declared. “There is a village a few miles to the southwest. There I will buy a horse and then make way to the coast. I will send word before I cross the Waking sea.”

“For that, I would be grateful,” Deshanna said.

And with that, the keeper pulled her into a hug.

Lavellan stiffened and tears began to gather in her eyes. It had been years since someone had held her like this. Last time, it had been her mother, crying and complaining about the keeper’s decision to send her daughter away. But she had been the fourth mage in the clan. There had been no way to deny that. So, Lavellan had hugged her mother goodbye and then had locked her heart away.

But now, with Deshanna, she knew it had been folly. She desired love and affection just as much as any other elf and she had denied it to herself. But not any longer. Giving in, she wrapped her arms around Deshanna and buried her face in the soft curve of the keeper’s neck. She took in the smell of herbs and burnt wood that came from Deshanna and prayed to the elven gods to keep the older woman safe.

_I will come for you if you don’t_, she promised them. _For she is like a mother to me._

After what seemed like an eternity, Deshanna let go. Lavellan wiped her face to hide her childish tears and coughed. “I’ll be going then”, she said in a raspy voice, unable to say more. Her heart felt like to would split in two, if she did.

“_Dareth shiral, da’len_,” Deshanna answered and the pride in her eyes made Lavellan tear up yet again. “May the gods be with you, always.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, yeah, this the story about Alis’s life before becoming Inquisitor. I enjoyed writing this a lot, though it turned out to be much longer than I expected. 
> 
> I really hope I got the Dalish way of life right, tough. I never played DA:O or DA2 myself, so I did a lot of research for this story. There is so much stuff to be considered and I hope I made a half-decent job an representing them.


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